Twisted PerceptionsWe are all terrified of the unknown, and darkness can create a divide between what we think we see and what is actually there. Fitting for a piece based on perception, I decided to base the whole piece on small fragments, almost all of which are heard within the first minute. The opening notes, for instance, return often, sometimes obviously, but more often hidden within the texture or harmony.
Twisted Perceptions was premiered by the Hebrides Ensemble with David Alberman on the violin and Simon Smith on piano on the 4th of May 2007 at the RSAMD as part of the PLUG II festival.

Borderland StateI sometimes have an unusual sensation when I’m sleeping where I don’t quite reach the subconscious state. Dreaming begins while I am neither conscious, nor subconscious, and this is accompanied by sleep paralysis and sleeping with my eyes open. I am calm, but incapable of forming cohesive thought, and my perception of time all but disappears. I have subsequently discovered that the term for this state of consciousness is ‘hypnagogia’, or altenatively, 'The Borderland State'. I wanted to capture this dreamy feeling, as well as try to play with the perception of time.

On the Tip of the TongueI have a really bad memory. I often get that frustrating feeling when I try to speak where I can't quite remember the words I need to use, or can remember the first part of a song but can't remember the next part. I have been listen to a few "deconstructionist" pieces lately, whereby the composer uses a previously existing piece of music as source material for a new work. I wanted to do almost the opposite, by trying to "reconstruct" the music as if it were trying to recall some forgotten melody (which never truely existed until now).
On the Tip of the Tongue was recently awarded 1st Prize in the Dinah Wolfe Memorial Prize, and was premiered on the 1st of May 2009 by the Brodsky Quartet.

Study No 3Study no 3 from "Three Studies in Mean-Tone Temperament" for Harpsichord.

This list of works is taken from the records of concert details
listed in our concerts section. It is not intended to be comprehensive, but serves
as a useful link to recent performances of this composer's work.